Are drones the future of vaccine delivery?

Email sent!Email could not be sent.Not sent: Recipient has unsubscribed

copy to mecopy to CRM

SciPro

When you think of the word ‘drone’ you might think of a small remote-controlled Quadcopter used for filming extreme sports with a GoPro. Or, you might think of a military drone used in war torn countries to survey the area, reporting back data to the troops... But, think again. HERMES Delivery are in the process of building drones that will deliver vaccines to some of the most remote areas of the world for patients that are in need of them the most.

Delivering vaccines via usual means of transportation is not great for the environment, it's costly and is sometimes not feasible at all in remote locations. So, using unmanned, pre-programmed drones is a perfectly logical and cost-saving means of getting drugs to the patients in need. Drones will be stationed at specific hubs where there will be more frequent drop offs to small towns and villages.

An industrial design student has created a drone fitted with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillators) to help resuscitate those suffering cardiac arrest. With the number of people suffering from hearth disease each year, this is a fantastic way to get medical attention to people quickly, to ultimately save lives.

It’s great to see people thinking outside of the box and using modern technology such as drones to help the people that need it the most.

Makes me wonder what other inventions are out there that, if fully utilised, could help save lives...

{

Cue the song “Flight of the Valkyries.” Imagine a fleet of drones carrying vaccines or similar medical products to the furthest reaches of the Earth, over mountains, rivers, deserts, swamps and forest, to people who otherwise may not receive them…without tiring, getting hungry or having to urinate. Like the image? But would such flying machine delivery be technically feasible? And how much would it cost? Until this year, drones routinely delivering vaccines and other health products seemed a distant fantasy, sort of like the idea of Donald Trump becoming President of the United States. Well, welcome to 2016…